Hillside Special School

Hillside Special School is a community special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 with profound and multiple learning disabilities and severe learning disabilities; all pupils have an EHC plan. Inspectors found a caring, highly positive school where pupils arrive happy, behave exceptionally well and are well prepared for life after Hillside. The curriculum has improved, communication and language are central, reading is well taught, and preparation for adulthood is exceptionally well matched to pupils’ needs. Governors provide appropriate support and challenge, and staff feel well supported. The main areas for improvement are some inconsistency in staff expertise and subject knowledge, which occasionally means support is not matched precisely enough to pupils’ individual needs, and school improvement priorities that are sometimes not specific or measurable enough to evaluate impact. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. The school was previously judged outstanding and had not been inspected under section 5 since 2014; this graded inspection took place in June 2025, at a time when schools no longer receive an overall effectiveness grade.

Strengths

• Pupils love attending school and settle quickly into learning.
• Staff build incredibly positive relationships with pupils.
• Pupils behave exceptionally well and are highly motivated to work hard.
• Pupils develop independence and confidence.
• A wide range of activities helps pupils secure crucial life skills.
• The curriculum has been improved and identifies important knowledge across subjects and pathways.
• Education, health and care plans are used well to create individual learning plans.
• Staff usually match support closely to pupils’ individual needs.
• Communication and language are at the heart of the curriculum.
• Reading is well taught, and books and stories flow through the curriculum.
• Preparation for adulthood is exceptionally well aligned to pupils’ individual needs.
• Community-based learning and work experience are meticulously planned.
• Governors keep a close eye on the quality of education and provide appropriate support and challenge.
• Leaders provide effective support for staff workload and well-being.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• Some staff expertise and subject knowledge are less secure, so support is not always matched precisely to pupils’ individual needs.
• Occasionally, teaching does not help pupils build on what they know and can do as well as it might.
• School improvement priorities are sometimes not clear, specific or measurable enough to evaluate impact.

In 2024–25 pupils at Hillside Special School attended 89.1% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 26.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Hillside Special School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Hillside Special School had 6.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 31.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Hillside Special School had 89 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Hillside Special School received £27,986 and spent £28,039 for each of its 89 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £581,000 (£6,529 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Sudbury · Suffolk local authority: places and applications

What is Hillside Special School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Hillside Special School is Good, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Hillside Special School last inspected by Ofsted?

Hillside Special School was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Hillside Special School have?

Hillside Special School has 89 pupils on roll.

What age range does Hillside Special School cover?

Hillside Special School for pupils aged 4 to 19.

What are Hillside Special School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Hillside Special School?

Hillside Special School is at Hitchcock Place, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 1NN.